PHOENIX (AP/CBS5) -
Two women with ties to Arizona took center stage Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention. The first was a mom from Phoenix who said President Barack Obama's healthcare plan will help her daughter get the care she needs, and the second was an ASU alumnus who thanked the first lady for a program helping veterans.
Stacey Lihn spoke at the Democratic National Convention in North Carolina about the impact of healthcare reform on her family. Her daughter Zoe was born with a heart defect, but can now get the care she needs.
At 6 months old, Zoe was halfway to her lifetime cap. But because the Affordable Care Act prohibits health plans from setting a lifetime dollar limit on most benefits, Zoe can now live a life without limits. Lihn and her husband have been taking their daughter to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for treatment.
She was diagnosed in utero with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. It's fatal without early intervention and requires three open-heart surgeries over several years.
Elaine Brye of Ohio introduced the first lady Tuesday night; her children serve in different branches of military.
"I've got seven kids," said her mother, Joan Lowry, who lives in the Valley. "Gosh, I don't know the number of grandkids now."
Lowry is a proud mom, especially on the night her daughter introduces the first lady at the Democratic party's most important event of the year.
"I'd like to see it," she said. "I've never seen her give a speech."
She said Brye's kids are in the military, and she wrote to the first lady thanking her for helping our vets.
"She just did a 'thank you' note and for some reason something clicked," Lowry said.
"There she is, there's my girl," she said as she saw Brye take center stage.
"She hit it," Lowry said.
Copyright 2012 CBS 5 (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Stacey Lihn
Zoe Lihn
